


The Hannibal Symbiosis

by MaximusMeridian



Category: Hannibal (TV), Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Eddie is a bro, Hannibal is possessive, Mention of torture, Not Canon Compliant, Slow Build, the USS Broken Boys (Will/Eddie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-01
Updated: 2018-12-01
Packaged: 2019-09-02 22:27:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16795963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaximusMeridian/pseuds/MaximusMeridian
Summary: Journalist Eddie Brock is called in by FBI agent Jack Crawford to cover the story of the Chesapeake Ripper. Along the way, Eddie befriends Will Graham. This doesn't sit well with Hannibal, who is already extremely possessive over the FBI agent.Will Eddie survive his clash with the infamous cannibal, or will his symbiote need to find a new host?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Bold italics is Venom speaking to Eddie.
> 
> Regular Italics is Eddie's thoughts.

_**Eddie, the door is making noise.** _

“Door do’nt make sounds.” Eddie mumbled, his face buried in the pillows of his bed and his brain still mostly asleep.

_**Person making the sound, Eddie!** _

“S’mb’dy knocking?” Eddie clarified, yawning.

_**Yes!** _

“Go answer it.” Eddie hummed, nuzzling his pillow. _Mm… comfy comfy pillow._

_**EDDIE!** _

The blanket twisted around his waist was tossed away in a second, leaving a very naked Eddie very exposed to the chill of the apartment.

“Fuck, V!” Eddie yelped, jumping up. “Why is this so important to you?”

_**It’s been five minutes… they haven’t left.** _

“Shit.” Eddie sighed. “Must be work… find me some pants?”

A black tentacle extended from just below his rib cage, grabbing a pair of sweat pants from the floor and tossing them at Eddie’s face.

“Dick.” Eddie huffed, pulling them on quickly and walking to the door as it was knocked on again. “I’m comin’, I’m comin’, god damn.”

He threw open the door, revealing an older gentleman. Dark skin, freckled face, looked kinda like that guy from the Matrix. Wearing a trench coat and a suit… _in San Francisco._

“CIA or FBI?” Eddie sighed, keeping his stance visibly relaxed but Venom buzzing with tension under his skin.

“Eddie Brock?” The man asked.

That’s an interesting voice. Eddie mentally remarked. Like a commercial voice or something.

“Yes, now answer my question.” Eddie replied, crossing his arms over his bare chest. Having your nipples exposed while you’re talking to a federal agent seemed improper.

“My name is Jack Crawford. I’m an agent of the FBI, head of the Behavioral Analysis Unit.” The man introduced himself. “May I come in?”

Eddie took a deep breath, glancing around Agent Crawford into the hall before nodding. “Yeah, alright.”

_**Can we eat him?** _

_Not yet._ Eddie scolded gently. Gotta see if he’s good or bad first.

_**If he’s bad, we eat him?** _

_We’ll see, sweetheart_. Eddie promised, walking to his little table and gesturing for Jack to take the seat across from him.

“So, why is the FBI after me?” Eddie asked, stifling a yawn. My bed is getting cold…

“It isn’t you we’re after.” Agent Crawford explained, opening his coat and pulling out a folded manila envelope.

“You a magician on the weekends?” Eddie asked, honestly considering how realistic it was to carry around a file that big.

“Have you heard about the killings being investigated in Baltimore?” Agent Crawford asked, opening the envelope and pulling out sever pictures and case files.

“I don’t stick my nose into FBI cases.” Eddie shrugged.

“You stuck your nose into the Life Foundation.” Agent Crawford commented.

“Nobody but me was investigating that.” He corrected. “And you guys picked it up after me. Well, and after CIA tried to.”

“But you paid attention this long on one case?” The agent raised an eyebrow.

“Doc blamed it on PTSD from what I went through.” Eddie shrugged.

“I think it’s more than that.” Agent Crawford said pointedly. “I think you learned more from the Life Foundation case than you’re willing to share. And that’s your business, I won’t push for that unless it affects my case. Anyway, I need your help as an investigative journalist. A man who can get his hands dirty and get information from the cracks that maybe my men can’t get into.”

Eddie raised an eyebrow. “A federal agent is asking me to break the law? This has got to be a set up.”

“Does sound like it, doesn’t it?” Agent Crawford chuckled softly. “Yeah, but I didn’t cross the country for a set up. I’ve got too damn much on my plate for that kind of ridiculousness.”

“So what are you offering?” Eddie asked slowly.

“Full access to the case and all information you find.” Agent Crawford sighed. “You’ll work side by side with my agents to solve it.”

“mm-hmm.” Eddie raised an eyebrow. “And what do you get out of this?”

“ _Professionally?_ Control over what is released to the public. As well as a set of eyes looking at all of this from the outside. _Personally?_ There is a reporter in Baltimore named Freddie Loudes. And she is a pain in my ass. If there is someone there with first dibs on information? Her work is obsolete. She won’t cause me as much trouble.”

“So, I’m your tool to shove it to some reporter?” Eddie laughed. “Got it.”

“A little bit, yeah.” Agent Crawford nodded. “But I really do respect your work, and I think you’d be a valuable asset for my team on these cases.”

He stood up, reaching into his pocket again, ( _seriously, how deep is that pocket?_ ) and pulling out an envelope, a plane ticket sticking out of the top. “Give it some thought… Plane leaves in two days.”  
Eddie looked up at him, wheels in his head turning. “You’re asking me to take off an undisclosed amount of time… to work on a case that may not have a resolution… I’m gonna need some kind of assurance here.”

“Your first payment is in the envelope.” Agent Crawford chuckled. “My card is in there too. Let me know what you decide.”

Then he was leaving the apartment, leaving Eddie trying to decide was this worth it.

_**If we catch the killer… we can eat him.** _

“Yeah, that’s true.” Eddie mumbled. “And that’s definitely a bad person. Killing multiple people is evil for sure.”

 _ **Hungry!** _Venom replied eagerly, his head materializing in the air beside Eddie’s shoulder.

“You’re always hungry.” Eddie rolled his eyes. “I think you’re full of crap and just use that as an excuse.”

Venom grinned, long tongue licking over his large teeth. **_We should eat before we leave too. And tomorrow. And when we’re there. People might taste different._**

“If you say so.” Eddie rolled his eyes, laughing at the symbiote. “But the same rules still apply. Only bad people. And we can’t let people see us, alright?”

 ** _Rules…_ **Venom growled. _**Always so many rules, Eddie.**_


	2. Chapter 2

Flying across the country with an alien talking in the back of your brain is pretty interesting. For one, you have to remind yourself that, _hey don’t answer him out loud. It freaks people out, Eddie_.

So, five bucks on noise cancelling headphones later and Eddie could focus on the voice inside his head. Together they went through case files, spent the entire five-hour nonstop flight taking notes and putting together pieces.

This would be a hell of a story to report once it was solved. Maybe he’d turn it into a book instead of a written story. His forte was speaking though, expressing through spoken word his thoughts and actions. Maybe he should do a full length video documentary instead.

_Wouldn’t that be something? Forget the Eddie Brock show. It could be Eddie Brock, Stories Untold._

**_Eddie, you’re being weird._** Venom grumbled, the weight of him settling against Eddie’s spine.

Eddie chuckled quietly to himself, staying quiet for the rest of the flight.

_______________________________

“Why do I have to be here to pick up your journalist?” Will asked irritably on the phone.

“Because I needed someone who wasn’t on duty and who could keep quiet about the assistance I was bringing in.” Jack responded.

“I could have had classes.” Will pointed out stubbornly.

“You had an appointment with Hannibal this morning. You always schedule those for your day off.” Jack corrected. “And yes, I asked Hannibal to let me know when your appointments are.”

“Do I take a bathroom break without you knowing?” Will grumbled under his breath.

“Very rarely.” Jack chuckled before hanging up.

Will looked down at his phone and gave a small sigh, shoving it into his pocket. He looked back at the doors of the airport, finally seeing the man he was supposed to look for.

“Eddie!” Will called, cupping his hands over his mouth to amplify his voice.

The man in question jumped a bit, turning his attention to Will and giving a small wave before walking over. “You my babysitter?”

That accent… that wasn’t Californian. That was New York, near Yonkers or Brooklyn. He dressed like a New Yorker too… fitted jeans and a sweater. On top of all that there was a leather jacket. At least… it looked leather. There was something off about it though. Something not quite right. Maybe it wasn’t leather…

“Hello?” Eddie called, waving a hand in front of his face.

“Huh?” Will blinked, focusing again. “Sorry. Zoned out. I’m Will. Graham. I work with Jack Crawford at the BAU.”

“Right. Crawford was the guy who recruited me.” Eddie chuckled softly. “He always like that? The… you know…”

Will chuckled quietly, “Yeah, that’s Jack. And trust me, he isn’t the weirdest thing around here.”

“Sounds like my kind’a party.” Eddie nodded, shifting his bag on his shoulder. “We going right to work or what?”

“You don’t want to get a hotel first?” Will asked in surprise.

“Nah, just gimme a couch and somewhere to plug in my computer. I’ll be fine.” Eddie assured. He cocked his head for a moment and added. “Dinner first though. I’m starving.”

“We can order some take out when we get to the office.” Will nodded.

Eddie grinned, a face Will swore had too sharp teeth and a mouth that extended too far.

“Let’s get going.” Will agreed quietly.

_____________________________

**_This one is broken, Eddie._** Venom repeated, crawling along Eddie’s shoulder like he was sniffing at the man driving. Will Graham, that was his name, right? 

And man, he looked like hell. Like Eddie looked if Venom didn’t get enough of that chemical he needs. When he started chewing on Eddie’s liver or other organs. The same pale sick look.

_People aren’t supposed to look like that…_ Eddie agreed. _Maybe he’s exhausted. FBI work must be exhausting. Working at all hours of the day. Not sleeping for days on end…_

**_Like a journalist?_** Venom asked.

_FBI agents don’t have a symbiote to keep them running like I do, sweetheart._

Venom grumbled happily, settling in Eddie’s chest under the little praise.

________________________________________

Once at the FBI office, Eddie stepped out of the car and looked around, surprised by how open and window-y the place looked.

“I was expecting a more… secretive building. Like brick walls and in cognito.” Eddie commented.

“That’s more the academy. This is the Behavioral Analysis Unit headquarters.” Will shrugged, stepping out of the driver’s side.

“Well, let’s get to work then.” Eddie sighed, following Will into the building.

They went to a conference room of sorts, already occupied by Agent Crawford from before as well as an older gentleman in a rather formal suit.

“Will.” The older man greeted, a sort of… hunger in his gaze. Something Eddie felt was familiar. But he wasn’t entirely sure.

_Think they’re a thing?_ He asked Venom curiously.

Surprisingly though, the symbiote was quiet for once. He seemed so focused on the room around them.

“Dr Lecter, this is Eddie Brock. He’s a journalist from San Francisco.” Agent Crawford introduced. “Eddie, this is Dr Hannibal Lecter. He’s a psychiatrist who has been consulting on this case.”

“Wow, the case is such a big deal that you had to have a shrink for consultation?” Eddie asked in surprise.

“Indeed. Killings of this… magnitude, it is necessary to learn of the killer’s mind. Of his intents.” The doctor explained.

My god, that’s a creepy dude. The accent was bad enough. But partnered with those eyes? How did anyone use him as a psychiatrist and actually get shit done?

“Right.” Eddie nodded. “So, uh, what was the point of me coming to meet you guys here?”

“Thought you’d want to go over the facts and ask questions of the investigators.” Agent Crawford shrugged. “Anything our resident journalist needs from us, is available to you. You just have to ask.”

Eddie set down his bag in one of the chairs and started unpacking his laptop. “I need take out menus. Something seafood. Or maybe chocolate desserts. Both actually. It’s important.”

Yeah, that look of confusion they all just gave him? That was normal.


	3. Chapter 3

Hours later, Eddie knew literally every detail that he possibly could about these cases. He had pages and pages of notes, enough to write a dozen articles about the Chesapeake Ripper and his cases.

Several empty take out containers sat around his make shift office in the corner. One of the agents had even bought him a giant bag of Hershey Kiss candies. She was a pretty sweet lady, Beverly, he was pretty sure she said.

Eddie stood up from his spot, stretching his arms over his head with a quiet groan.

**_Eddie… hungry._**

“I know, sweetheart.” Eddie sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “We’ll go get dinner once we leave here.”

He started packing up his things, humming quietly while he did. Venom was grumbling in the lower part of his stomach.

“You’re getting spoiled… eating every day like we’ve been doing.” Eddie chuckled softly.

“Did you say something?” came a curious voice from the door way.

Eddie turned around, stunned for about half a second before just laughing it off. “I’m the type always talking to myself. Work stuff… life stuff. You know.” He waved his hand as if to show “et cetera, et cetera”.

Will in the doorway seemed to chuckle a little bit, the sound kind of quiet and distant. “I get that. People call me crazy for that.”

Eddie shrugged, “People are always gonna call you crazy for something. Might as well accomplish something while they’re talking about you, right?”

“Interesting way of thinking about it.” Will agreed, pushing his hands into his pockets. “I’m, uh, I’m about to head out, if you want a ride.”

“Thanks.” Eddie smiled gratefully. It was pretty obvious that Will wasn’t comfortable around people just from his posture, but it was really nice that he made an effort with Eddie.

**_He smells tasty, Eddie. Like dessert… we should eat him._**

_We are NOT eating the very nice agent_.

**_Not eat, eat. Eat… like, sex hungry._**

_You want to have sex with him?_ Eddie couldn’t help but laugh inwardly at that. _Venom, we’ve talked about that. Dragging people into… us. It isn’t fair._

_**Smells so good…** _Venom rumbled, the feeling rumbling down Eddie’s spine.

_V, no._ Eddie argued.

“Do you need more time, or, uh, you ready to go?” Will asked, interrupting their argument.

Eddie gave a nervous chuckle, realizing he’d been standing awkwardly in the middle of the office for probably a few solid minutes.

“Sorry, sorry. Yeah, I’m good to go. Was just… check listing in my head.” He covered casually.

Will nodded, only seeming to doubt him for a second before shrugging it off. “C’mon then.”

Eddie nodded in agreement, grabbing his bag and pulling it over his shoulder. “Any hotels around decent and with access to good food?”

“Uh… there’s a convention of some sort in town so good hotels probably are gonna be hard to come by.” Will commented. “Might end up in a crappy spot.”

“Long as I’ve got food at least, could be worst.” Eddie sighed. “I lived in New York in a shit apartment for years. Few days in a shit hotel is fine.”

Will raised an eyebrow, adjusting his glasses a bit. “You have very low standards for living, don’t you?”

“Sure do.” Eddie nodded.

Will’s lips twitched with a small smile.

_Bet he’s real handsome when he actually smiles_. Eddie thought off-handedly. Venom laughed smugly in the back of his mind.

“Since you’re driving me around, I feel like I should at least buy you dinner.” Eddie offered casually.

Will seemed shocked by that, stammering a little bit. “You don’t have to do that… really.”

“Can I do it anyway?” Eddie asked innocently. Okay, so maybe he was trying to turn on the charm a little bit, but hey, he wanted to get to know Will better.

_Maybe it’ll help with the case._ He used that as his reasoning. It was complete shit though. He was just curious.

“I, uh, I guess?” Will shrugged, offering that same almost smile again. Seems like that is his defense mechanism. His go to response when he has no idea what else to do.

“Come on, my treat.” Eddie grinned, leading Will out of the room.

A few hours later, they were sitting in a crappy motel ground floor room, sitting across from each other on a small couch with a coffee table full of pizza in front of them.

They shared a few random case stories back and forth, before it turned into failed dating adventures… It was like talking to someone Eddie had known for years. Easier than talking to Annie, though maybe not quite like Venom.

And to top it off? He was right about Will smiling. The guy was damn adorable when he let loose.

“So, I gotta ask.” Eddie finally got serious after another round of laughter between them.

“That sounds serious.” Will cocked his head, that smile fading a bit.

“Nah, more… personal, I guess. In return, you can ask me one personal question.” Eddie explained.

“Okay, deal.” Will agreed.

“Is it drugs or something?” Eddie asked curiously

Will frowned, obviously confused. “Is what drugs?”

Eddie gestured to all of Will. “The shakes, the pale thing, the cold sweats… you on drugs or is it something else?”

Will gave a soft sound, something between a scoff and a laugh. “It’s not drugs. Trust me, that would be easy…”

Eddie cocked his head a bit. “Well, that technically answers my question, I guess.”

“It’s a half ass answer.” Will laughed, shaking his head. “Truth is… I’m not sure what’s wrong yet. I’m working on it.”

“Makes sense.” Eddie nodded before trying to lighten the mood. “Now hit me. Wanna know how I lost my virginity? The most embarrassing thing I’ve ever done in public? Because that’s a hell of a story.”

That smile came out again, Will’s shoulders shaking a bit with laughter.

“I was actually… well,” He hesitated before admitting. “Even before you asked your question I was wondering if you were schizophrenic.”

Eddie laughed, throwing his head back. “So we both assumed the worst, huh?”

Will wrinkled his nose, looking a bit guilty. “You show a lot of symptoms of it… and I can’t turn off the psycho analysis thing.”

“I’m not schizophrenic.” Eddie assured. “I really just… talk to myself. A lot. Most of the time. More than I talk to other people usually.”

“I don’t usually talk to people like this either. Letting people in is a problem in my line of work.” Will sighed.

“I bet. All those important secrets of the FBI. Must suck.” Eddie agreed.

“Especially a reporter like you.” Will added. “they’re the worst type.”

“I’m a journalist.” Eddie corrected, acting offended. “Reporters are trash human beings.”

Will rolled his eyes, an amused smirk on his face. “I can’t argue with that.”


	4. Chapter 4

Over the next few days, Will became a nearly constant companion to Eddie. The older man seemed to open up more the longer they were around each other and became an honestly fun guy to be around.

They talked about cases and life. Eddie even got to meet the dogs (which even Venom felt very proud about).

Unfortunately, though, Eddie’s presence in town seemed to lead to more Ripper killings.

Seeing the bodies first hand… man, that was a sight. And not a pleasant one. Venom even seemed unsettled by the caliber of the killings. They could tell pretty quickly what pieces were missing, with Eddie letting Venom have as close a view as possible without getting in the detectives’ way.

Something that was really strange was Will.

Will seemed to be someone else at a crime scene. His eyes closed, his breathing evening out into near silence. He would walk through the crime scene, building an in depth image of the crime, walking through it step by step like he’d done it himself.

“Anybody ever tell him that’s creepy as hell?” Eddie asked Agent Crawford quietly, keeping his voice low so he didn’t interrupt Will.

“All the time.” The man affirmed. “But he’s damn effective.”

There was a shouting from just past the police tape, followed by a quiet curse from Crawford. “Remember your job description?”

“Follow your guys around, write a damn good story, and piss off some reporter?” Eddie counted it off, cocking his head. “Why’d you ask?”

“There’s your reporter.” Crawford gestured over his shoulder.

“On it, Boss.” He chuckled softly, jogging back toward the tape.

The dressed up red head standing among the uniformed officers stood out like a sore thumb.

“Well hello, ma’am. How can I help you today?” Eddie greeted, his best cheese eating smile on his face.

He grabbed the woman by her elbow and led her away. “How about we talk about what you’re doing working my case?”

“Who the hell are you?” She asked, clearly frustrated by being taken from the scene. “You’re not an FBI agent.”

“Neither are you.” Eddie shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest and blocking her from passing him into the doorway again. “Least I have permission to be here.”

“And who the hell are you?” She asked again, narrowing her eyes and trying to stand up at her full height. She was still shorter than Eddie though.

“My name is Eddie Brock.” He grinned, feeling Venom rumbling in the back of his throat, adding an unnatural growl to his tone.

“I’m working with the FBI to make sure that this case is covered by reputable sources.” He added.

**_Can we eat her? She smells like trouble… like a bad person._**

_Not yet, buddy. Not yet._

“Well, I am Freddie Loudes.” She said, trying to seem calm despite how her voice waivered. “I’ve been reporting on this case since the get-go, and I don’t appreciate someone stepping all over my story.”

“Guess it ain’t your story anymore.” Eddie shrugged, offering a smirk. It was familiar, barely hiding the dangerous symbiote anxious to cover his skin and _eat_.

Freddie seemed to grow pale, taking a few steps back.

“F-fine. Just… I’ll be back.” She warned. “Don’t screw up my story.”

“I’ll be here.” He hummed, still smiling.

She huffed and hurried away, obviously shaken despite how she tried to maintain her composure.

Eddie couldn’t help but laugh to himself, walking back into the scene to stand by Crawford.

“Our pest problem is gone for now.” Eddie assured.

Crawford seemed confused. “How? She is usually so persistent.”

“I have a way with words.” Eddie shrugged. “Kinda my job, y’know?”

Crawford’s response was cut off by Will brushing past them to leave.

“Will, you good?” Eddie frowned, calling over his shoulder.

“He needs air.” Crawford assured. “Getting into the mind of a killer… it’s taxing.”

“Seems like he needs a day off.” Eddie commented quietly.

“He’s fine.” Crawford snapped, turning and hurrying out the exit.

**_Hiding something…_** Venom added helpfully.

“No kidding.” Eddie mumbled, deciding to leave so the crime scene crew could finish their clean up.

He exited the building, looking around curiously. Will’s car was already gone, something he’d expected. But… so was Crawford’s.

“Shit.” Eddie sighed. “Feel like walking, bud?”

Venom’s little rumble at the base of his skull was a pretty solid yes.

_____________________________________

Arriving back at the motel, Eddie was pretty surprised by the envelope stuck in the crack of the door, with his name written in a rather fine script on the front.

Eddie frowned, opening the envelope and curiously reading over the contents.

_Mister Brock,_

_I would love to have you for dinner. Say, Friday at 6:30?_

_You’re a very interesting man, and I would love to pick_

_your brain a bit. I shall send a car to fetch you._

_Signed,_

_Doctor Hannibal Lecter_

“Well, if that isn’t ominous.” Eddie mumbled.

**_That’s the weird doctor._ **

“Yep.”

**_Can we eat him?_ **

“Let’s go to dinner and find out.” Eddie shrugged, walking into his room. “What the hell are we gonna wear to dinner?”


	5. Chapter 5

After the initial confusion over why this random doctor had invited him to dinner, Eddie decided that ‘hey, any dinner I don’t have to pay for sounds like a good idea’. Which admittedly isn’t a safe way to live, but with Venom, he wasn’t too concerned.

Even if this guy Hannibal was super creepy.

As the cab drove up to the large town house, Eddie’s gut feeling about the doctor being super creepy just got worse.

At the same time though… he felt seriously under dressed. He’d flown to Baltimore expecting to be doing typical journalism work. Spending long hours in libraries or his room writing, maybe an interview or two. Not a fancy dinner.

**_If he judges us, we will eat him._** Venom supplied helpfully.

_Right._ Eddie returned, not quite sure that was a good solution.

He got out of the car, being informed that the drive had been paid for already.

“How much money does this guy have?” Eddie whispered, shocked as he walked to the front door.

He rang the doorbell, looking down his clothes and feeling a bit nervous. “Do we look okay, V?”

He had managed to dig some slacks and a dress shirt out of his bag, and a quick one-hour dry cleaning service had made them look better than the wrinkled mess they had been.

Hell, he’d even shaved. Just in case whoever else was coming was the judging type.

**_We look delicious._** Venom added, once again, helpful by Symbiote standards.

“Thanks, darling.” Eddie sighed.

The door opened then, revealing Dr Lecter, once again impeccably well dressed.

“Mr. Brock, you’re right on time.” The doctor welcomed.

__________________________________________

Hannibal answered the door with a polite smile, the same calculated and cautious one he always used when observing someone.

The infamous Eddie Brock had become quite the anomaly since arriving in Baltimore. He seemed tense around Hannibal, but not afraid. Confident, but not arrogant. Also, rather polite.

The only problem so far? His effect on one Will Graham. The agent was becoming less tense, less stressed by his work. He limited his visits to Hannibal’s office to once, maybe twice since Eddie had arrived in town, as opposed to their multiple times a week previously.

Hannibal really didn’t like people changing his plans.

A part of him was glad for Will’s comfort, his health improving. That part was outweighed by the tactical side of Hannibal. If Will became more stable, healthier, then he was no longer the perfect scapegoat. Framing him if he got too close to the truth wouldn’t work if he was ill mentally.

The man currently in front of Hannibal was the cause, but, also the solution.

Eddie was playing such a large roll in Will’s healing… now he would play a larger part in his downward spiral.

“Dr. Lecter.” The man greeted, offering a hand to shake.

Hannibal returned the handshake and offered his polite smile again. “Please, come in.”

Eddie nodded, following him into the house.

“So, uh, I’m kinda surprised that you invited me to dinner.” Eddie commented casually. “We haven’t been around each other much.”

“That is exactly why I invited you.” Hannibal explained, walking to the dining room table where he already had a bottle of wine waiting to open. “Wine?”

“Oh, I don’t drink.” Eddie shook his head, smiling apologetically. “Had some issues with it a while back. Can’t stomach it anymore.”

“Such a pity. This pairs so well with dinner.” Hannibal sighed before turning to Eddie. “I do hope you are not vegetarian.”

“No, sir. That I am not,” Eddie laughed. “And I’m not a picky eater either so, I’m pretty excited for whatever you got cooking.”

_This man really has no grasp of proper English_. Hannibal’s lip twitched.

“I’m very glad for that.” Hannibal nodded, gesturing to the kitchen. “Shall I go check on our appetizers?”

“Yeah, that sounds great. Thanks.” Eddie nodded, pushing his hands into his pockets.

_He has several of the same nerves ticks as Will… perhaps part of why they seem to enjoy each other’s company so much_.

Hannibal walked to the oven, checking the entrée before plating the appetizers as he wanted them.

“Are we waiting for anyone else?” Eddie called from the dining room.

“No, Mr. Brock. It will be only us dining tonight. I hope that is all right.” Hannibal answered, checking the sauce and smiling proudly. Perfect, as always.

“Oh?” Eddie sounded surprised. “Uh, yeah, that’s fine with me. Just surprised.”

Hannibal picked up the plates and the sauce, which was in a gravy bowl to be poured over the plates when served.

He carried them in, setting them amidst the other table settings.

“Wow, this is all… really fancy.” Eddie said in surprise, his eyes wide in amazement.

As guests often react when dining in Hannibal’s house.

“Please, sit.” Hannibal encouraged, once again giving that same smile. He could feel that his cheeks would ache before the end of tonight.

_So often humans found comfort in one polite smile. This man though… he remained cautious, even though his expression showed otherwise… It was as if there were two minds at work. One being polite and civil. The other bracing for an attack at any moment_.

Eddie sat down as instructed, offering a friendly smile in return. “Smells delicious, Dr. Lecter.”

“Please, call me Hannibal.” He responded. _First names often made people more relaxed_.

“Alright. Hannibal.” Eddie echoed. “That’s a unique name. Is it common where you’re from?”

“No, it is not.” Hannibal shook his head. “It is from Phoenician and Carthaginian origin though. It means ‘ _Mercy of Baal’_.”

“That’s a pretty cool story for your name.” Eddie commented, obviously impressed. “Much better than mine at least. Pretty sure I was named after a guy my mom dated in college.”

“How peculiar.” Hannibal raised an eyebrow.

“So, the accent…” Eddie said slowly. “European, obviously. Not Russian or English… I’m gonna take a wild guess and say… Lithuanian?”

Hannibal stood straight, obviously taken back. People often didn’t even know that Lithuania was a country, much less that Hannibal could be from there.

“Did I get it right?” Eddie asked, sounding excited.

“Yes.” Hannibal answered shortly, moving to his spot at the head of the table. “Many people do not know how to identify most European accents.”

“I have an unfair advantage.” Eddie admitted. “I spent a summer there writing a story.”

“Is that so?” Hannibal asked casually, cocking his head. “Anything I may have read?”

“Probably not.” He laughed. “It was back in my television journalism days. Admittedly wasn’t my best work.”

He got quiet for a moment, taking a bite of his food.

Eddie froze for a second, chewing slowly before looking up at Hannibal. There was an obvious realization on his face and Hannibal felt his jaw twitch.


	6. Chapter 6

**_Eddie. It’s people. Eddie! We’re eating people!_** Venom grew more and more excited.

_V, are you sure?_ Eddie asked slowly, swallowing the bite of food in his mouth. His eyes were locked on Hannibal’s, neither of them moving a muscle.

**_Eddie, people!_** Venom repeated, ecstatic. A sort of gasp rippled through them and the symbiote asked. **_Is it a bad person? You said we could only eat bad people._**

_I don’t know!_ Eddie exclaimed, feeling a bit panicked. _Shit. Shit. Shit. Say something, Eddie. Anything!_

“That’s a very… unique flavor.” Eddie offered, trying to remain casual.

“All of my cooking can be described that way.” Hannibal replied coolly, with that same damn smile he’d been wearing all night. It was like a predator in camouflage, trying to lull its prey into a false sense of security.

_All of his cooking… Jesus Christ… this whole time… Will and the agents have been looking for their killer… and he was their friend. Hell, Will’s shrink_!

**_Does he know if it’s bad people? We should ask_**. Venom offered. As if he didn’t know why Eddie was so frantic.

“So, tell me, Mr. Brock…” Hannibal started before correcting himself. “Eddie, I mean, what has your relationship become with Will Graham? You’ve spent quite a bit of time together these past few days.”

“Just friends. We have a lot in common and he’s a great guy.” Eddie said nonchalantly _. Is that why we’re here? He doesn’t like that me and Will are close?_

“Will Graham is a very unique man, you see. One of the few I would call my friend. I have begun to worry about your influence on him…” Hannibal’s expression was almost unreadable, cool and calculating. He was reading Eddie just as much as Eddie was reading him.

“He seems to be doing pretty well.” Eddie shrugged, trying to keep his composure. “He’s getting a lot better, actually. Less dependent on therapy, from what I see. As his friend, wouldn’t that make you happy?”

“Naturally.” Hannibal replied shortly, his eyes narrowing a bit.

Eddie swallowed nervously, taking a drink of his glass of water.

**_Eddie…_**

“And what are your intentions toward him?” Hannibal asked, as if it was simple curiosity.

“He’s just a friend.” Eddie repeated firmly. _Why does everyone think I want to hook up with him_?

**_Eddie._**

Eddie took another drink of his water and set the glass aside.

“He speaks highly of you, when he does come by.” Hannibal said casually, sipping his own wine. “He respects you... Your presence has become something he enjoys… such a shame if he were to lose that.”

“Are you threatening me?” Eddie frowned, tensing a bit. At least, he tried to. But… his muscles weren’t responding. Something freezing them up.

**_Eddie! We can’t move!_**

“Did you… drug the food?” Eddie asked in disgust, slumping back against the seat.

**_Eddie, we can’t make it go away. Working too fast_**.

Even Venom was starting to sound sluggish. _Jesus, what the hell were we drugged with?_

“Of course not, I respect my cooking too much for that.” Hannibal replied, sounding a bit offended before his lips twisted into a bit of a cruel smirk. “The water you drank, however? I have far less distaste for drugging that.”

“Shit.” Eddie whispered, the word echoing in his mind. What the hell are we gonna do? We have to leave. We have to run…

But the world only faded to black.

___________________________________________________

**_Eddie?_**

_Man… am I hungover?_

That was his first thought… Hell, he’d had bad nights like this before, but this? This was a little much. Even for him.

**_Eddie?_** That voice came faster this time, more insistent.

Wait a minute… Eddie doesn’t drink anymore. He hadn’t tried drinking since he found out it hurt Venom…

_Venom…_

**_Eddie!_**

Wait. That’s right! He was at the Doctor’s house. The doctor was the Ripper. The guy Will was looking for with the FBI.

**_We’re held down. We’re trapped._**

**** _Break us out._

_**I can’t… you’re too weak.**_

_What?_

Eddie finally forced his eyes open, looking around groggily. They were in a dimly lit room, lying flat on some kind of bed.

Not a good bed though. More like… _a hospital bed._

“Precisely,” came the casual accented tone. “I must admit, you’re much stronger than I thought you would be. I gave you several doses to keep you unconscious.”

“Why?” He grimaced, squirming to try and get loose.

Eddie… we aren’t moving.

“What?” Eddie asked in confusion. “What do you mean? Why can’t we move?”

“Between the drugs in your system. Your body is weakened.” Hannibal answered.

“Jesus…” Eddie groaned, looking up at the ceiling. “Why?” 

“More important,” Hannibal ignored his question. “Why are you still alive? You should be anemic at the least. Yet, you are conscious… and mostly healthy… You’re a very curious specimen.”

**_Eddie… I’m tired._** Venom said softly, his voice seeming distant.

“It’s okay, buddy. Just… just rest.” Eddie whispered. “I’m… I’m okay for right now.”

**_But, Eddie…You’re dying. I have to fix it._**

“I’ll be worse if you’re hurting.” Eddie responded, closing his eyes. “Just rest, okay?”

“Eddie?” Hannibal called, curiously. “Who are you speaking to?”

“Fuck yourself.” Eddie mumbled, starting to lose consciousness with Venom not working so hard to keep them functioning.

He slumped back again, his mind instinctively reaching out for the distant feeling of Venom.

_V? V, talk to me. Please._

**_Eddie… We’re hungry._**

_How long have we been down here?_

**_We do not know… Eddie, we will hurt you like this. We need to eat._**

_You won’t hurt me._ Eddie insisted. _We’ll be okay. We’ll be okay… Just, just let me think, okay? Let me try to plan something._

**_Eddie…_ **

_Shh, it’s okay, sweetheart. Just save your strength. We’ll need it later._

_**Eddie… I will not let you die. I will protect you.**_

_Us, Venom. We will protect us. You hear me?_

It was unnerving to hear Venom say ‘I’ and ‘you’. The symbiote always spoke of them. Together. As one.

Them being separate when the symbiote spoke of them? That was not a good sign. It reminded Eddie too much of when he almost lost Venom…

**_Yes, Eddie… Us._**


	7. Chapter 7

Will pulled up to Hannibal’s house, feeling jittery. It was a feeling he’d mostly avoided for the last nearly two weeks. Spending time with Eddie had distracted him from that.

Eddie hadn’t been in touch for days now though. Will had stopped by the motel with dinner to surprise him two days ago, only to find that the other was nowhere around.

He’d tried calling and leaving several texts, but nothing worked.

Will walked to the front door and knocked, bouncing on his heels. This was the only link he had. The last step he could track Eddie to.

The journalist had talked to him when Hannibal invited to him dinner, asking how to dress for a fancy Hannibal dinner or how to act. That had been a pretty fun conversation, watching Eddie dig through his clothes and try to find something appropriate for a dinner like this.

The door opened in front of Will, shocking him out of his thinking.

“Will, I wasn’t expecting you.” Hannibal said, sounding genuinely surprised to see him.

Hannibal’s sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, along with his vest and tie being removed.

“I’m sorry.” Will apologized. “I should have just called, but… I needed to ask you something.”

“Of course, come in.” Hannibal encouraged, stepping back and leading him inside.

Will shoved his hands into his pockets, chewing his bottom lip anxiously.

“What do we need to discuss?” Hannibal asked, offering a wide eyed sort of concern.

It was something he’d done a thousand times, every time Will came to him panicked or frantic over anything.

“You invited Eddie to dinner a few days ago.” Will started. “No one has heard from or seen him since… I’m getting pretty concerned.”

Hannibal seemed to think for a moment before shrugging a little. “He took a phone call as we were finishing dinner… someone back home in San Francisco. He called a cab after that and apologized, saying it was important and thanking me for dinner. I’m afraid that’s all I know. You haven’t had any contact with him since?’

“None.” Will sighed, frowning a bit. “He wouldn’t just leave like that. He isn’t that kind of person.”

“Will, you’ve only known this man a few weeks. Perhaps you don’t know how he truly is.” Hannibal offered gently. “Or perhaps whatever needed him in San Francisco was so important he merely forgot to call and let you know where he’d gone.”

Will shook his head. “No. No, he isn’t like that. We got along really well. Even if he didn’t call me, he’d answer Jack. This case was a big deal for his career. He’d talk to Jack even if he was busy.”

Hannibal sighed, “I don’t know, Will. I’m afraid I don’t have an answer that will suit your desires.”

“I guess I didn’t really expect you to.” He admitted with a heavy sigh. Despite his usual distaste for human contact, he’d come to really enjoy time with Eddie.

Speaking to him might very well be easier than Hannibal to talk to at times.

“I’m just finishing up making dinner.” Hannibal offered. “Would you like to stay?”

“Yeah, that would be nice.” Will nodded, letting his shoulders relax a bit. It might not be as casual and friendly as Eddie, but… at least Hannibal was still here. He was the type who wouldn’t abandon Will without just cause.

_________________________________________________

**_Eddie, wake up._**

“Hey, darling…” Eddie mumbled sleepily, his eyes opening slowly. “What’s… what’s going on?”

**_There is someone upstairs._**

“It’s probably Hannibal.” Eddie sighed, starting to close his eyes again. “Why’d you wake me up for that?”

No, someone else. They are talking.

“You can hear them from down here?” Eddie asked in surprise, jerking to sit up. It sent a spike through his abdomen, causing him to crumble back against the bed.

“Shit, V. Shit.” Eddie cursed, hissing through his teeth.

**_Do not move. It makes us weaker._**

“Fuck, you’re starving again, aren’t you?” Eddie rasped, doing as he was told and staying in place.

**_Trying not to hurt us…_** Venom’s voice got quiet, sad even.

“It’s okay.” Eddie assured gently, trying to reach out mentally to comfort the other. “Look, I can handle it, okay? Take what you need to stay alive.”

**_Can’t… Kills you… Dan said… And Ann said…_**

“Fuck them.” Eddie dismissed. “I know what I can handle, okay? And we’ve got to stay strong. When we get a chance to run, you’ve got to be strong enough to take over and run like hell.”

**_Eddie…_**

“No!” Eddie snapped. “Listen, you’re the one who can get us moving. So the next time that son of a bitch comes down here, you make the jump. You sink your teeth into him and eat whatever organs you can reach.”

**_If we leave… Eddie will die._**

“It’s…it’s not ideal.” Eddie agreed, feeling a bit ill at the thought. He didn’t want to die in some torture porn basement.

“But I would never forgive myself if you died trying to save me.” Eddie said softly. “After Riot… I can’t lose you again.”

**_We don’t want to lose Eddie!_**

Fear and panic radiated through their bond, the buzz of worry radiating down Eddie’s spine. He’d never felt Venom so afraid. Not even when they’d been torn apart in Dan’s office… or when they’d been engulfed in flames after the fight with Riot…

**_We knew we could save Eddie those times. This time Eddie is talking about leaving us_**.

“You can find another host, even if something happens to me.” Eddie said softly. “It’ll make you sad, but you’ll adapt.”

**_Eddie… we don’t want to adapt. We want you._**

“Let’s not talk about it anymore right now.” Eddie said softly. “I’m tired, okay? Let’s rest a little more.”

**_Okay…_** Venom answered, fading back again as Eddie fell back into exhausted slumber.

______________________________________________

**_Eddie._**

Eddie groaned, slowly managing to peel open his eyes. His insides felt like flaming jello and his head was pounding with the worst migraine he’d ever experienced.

“So you’re awake.” Came that same cold and calm tone from Hannibal. “You were so pale… I was coming to check your heart rate.”

“Yeah, I’m awake.” Eddie responded, his voice a rasp now.

“I hope you find comfort in knowing that your suffering won’t last much longer.” Hannibal continued, the sound of metal on metal coming from the table Hannibal was standing by.

“I spoke to Will this evening. He seems very hurt by your sudden departure, but… not as much as was expected. He seemed to hold the hope that you will still return or contact him. I’m sure you can tell why I won’t allow that.”

“Because you’re obsessed with him and can’t stand the idea of him having something good in his life?” Eddie responded, admittedly more sarcastic than he may have needed to be.

Hannibal’s tone twisted a bit, chilly and harsh. “You have such a rude mouth. I’ll have to pick a special recipe for you. Something to remove that sour taste.”

“I think I’ll invite Will to dinner tomorrow. Perhaps some loin, or maybe a liver pate… a lovely meal before they find your corpse.” He hummed in thought, walking over to Eddie’s side and standing over him.

“You’re very special.” Hannibal explained. “I’ve never kept an animal down here like this. But you… it was necessary. Drugging you was new too. You tested my abilities in many ways. Take pride in that.”

_V, he’s close. You could do it now._

The symbiote was silent though, strangely so.

_V? V, talk to me._

He felt something run along his spine, the symbiote stretching slowly to cover his skin.

_V, no. Now is not Venom time. Take him down!_

**_We will not lose Eddie. We…are Venom_**.

Eddie’s vision was flooded with blackness for a moment before he felt the bonds holding him down to the bed break away, a guttural roar escaping their too long mouth, nearly rattling their teeth.

They were on their feet then, on the bed and crouching, face to face with Hannibal.

**_He is afraid of us._** Venom growled.

_He should be._ Eddie agreed. Being fully bonded like this… surrounded in Venom… he felt stronger. The weakness of the last few days was fading, though they both knew it wouldn’t last long.

_We don’t have time. We’re already getting weaker, Venom. Let’s go find dinner._

Venom snarled, using one large hand to throw Hannibal to the ground before launching them out of the room.

They ran out into the house, nearly on all fours as they charged out of the house.

Eddie let himself settle back, letting Venom take control.

**_Rest, Eddie. We will fix us._**

_Thanks, V_ …


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rambly, I apologize, but it felt important to tie up all of my story points.

Eddie faded in and out of consciousness while they moved, trusting Venom fully to move them to safety.

He vaguely noticed the taste of blood on his teeth, but he didn’t care enough to question it. He noticed that his insides were rebinding, his organs feeling less jostled and more solid… The fact that he could feel that change was a little jarring.

**_Eddie, we’re back to our room_**.

Eddie stirred awake, feeling the form of Venom slipping away from around him.

Eddie caught himself as his form shrank, walking from around the corner of the alley and toward his door.

Out of the corner of his eye, he vaguely registered a familiar vehicle, but the call of a bed and real food was too compelling.

“Eddie?”

Damn it. That’s why the car looked familiar. It was Will’s.

“Eddie? What… what’s wrong with you?” Will asked, hurrying over.

“You look almost as bad as I feel.” Eddie laughed, a little delirious. He pulled his room key from his pocket and opened the door. “Let’s go inside, okay? I’m exhausted.”

“That’s probably a good idea.” Will agreed, following him into the room.

“Lock that behind you.” Eddie instructed, pointing to the door.

Will closed the door gently, frowning at Eddie. “You look like hell. Sit down.”

_He’s one to talk… he looks like he’s in withdrawal or something._ Eddie grumbled, thankful for Venom helping him walk over to the bed and flop back.

Venom was fed from however many people they’d eaten on the way over here, working anxiously to repair the damage he had done on their insides.

“Are you alright?” Will asked, moving to stand beside the bed and looking down at him.

“I’m starving.” Eddie said suddenly, sitting up. “you should get food. Lots of food. So many types of food. Especially chocolate. And fish, maybe. Fish is good too. Shell fish. Like, shrimp, or, lobster. Yes, lobster.”

Will’s expressions twisted in confusion, his head cocking curiously. “You, what?”

“Food.” Eddie repeated. “I’ll explained everything after. I promise.”

“Alright.” Will sighed, pulling out his keys. “Chocolate and lobster. I don’t know any to go places that serve that.”

“They can be raw.” Eddie said honestly. “They aren’t for me.”

“Uh, what?” Will asked, opening his mouth to protest before holding up one hand to stop any response he might give.

“When I get back, you’re going to tell me everything. Where you’ve been for four days, why you want raw shell fish, why you look like you’re dying… _everything_.” Will said firmly, his jaw set and his tone something that likely no one would argue with.

“I promise.” Eddie swore. “We will tell you everything.”

“We?” Will frowned, shaking his head and turning around. “I’ll be back in twenty minutes. Stay here.”

“Promise.” Eddie nodded, watching him leave.

**_Everything, Eddie?_**

“Everything.” He nodded. “Hope you aren’t feeling camera shy.”

____________________________________________

When Will returned, he was carrying multiple brown grocery bags.

He had spent his entire shopping trip trying to come up with any explanation of Eddie’s issues that made sense.

He was failing horribly.

“Okay, I bought four king sized chocolate bars, five lobsters from the deli’s seafood section, and a couple normal food plates. Some options that make actual sense.” Will explained, putting the bags on the table.

“Great. Uh, chocolate bar, please.” Eddie stood up slowly, walking over.

Will held out a bar before pausing. “Explain.”

“I’ll show you.” He promised, taking the bar and tearing it open to shove into his mouth.

He grabbed the bag of lobster and sat down on the edge of the bed before taking a deep breath.

“Okay, so… a few months ago, I was researching a case into a company called the Life Foundation. They were studying and testing on some extraterrestrial creatures, which very simply are called symbiotes. See, they can’t exist in Earth’s atmosphere without a human host.” Eddie explained, casually pulling a lobster out of the bag and sniffing curiously before shrugging.

“You think it’s fresh enough to make you feel any better?” Eddie asked quietly, pausing for a moment before nodding. “Good.”

“What does this whole random story have to do with anything?” Will asked, crossing his arms his chest and leaning back. This was starting to sound like a wild goose chase and he’d shut that down if need be.

“It means this…” Eddie sighed, rolling his shoulders. “Come on, V.”

Will watched in confusion as a black mass began forming around Eddie’s shoulder.

_Oh, god. I’m having a break down._ Will panicked briefly, before the figure seemed to develop eyes.

They were large whites, with no pupils.

“Wha- _what the hell is that_?” Will gasped, pressing back against the wall.

“This? His name is Venom.” Eddie gestured to the form, which pressed against his hand affectionately like a dog would.

“He?” Will asked, still very confused and fighting the beginnings of a headache.

“Well, yeah. They don’t really have a gender like a human does. But, we worked around with it and… he fits best.” Eddie shrugged, offering the lobster to the amorphous form.

Venom formed teeth, a large split forming across its_ his_ face? The split grew into white, separating into a set of massive spiked teeth. An abnormally long tongue lolled out, wrapping around the lobster and pulling it into Venom’s mouth with a sharp snap of his teeth.

“What… the fuck?” Will whispered.

_**“Hello Will.”**_ Venom greeted.

“It talks?” Will looked to Eddie in disbelief.

“Yeah, he does. Sometimes. Mostly it’s just in my head, but he can talk out loud when he wants to.” Eddie explained.

“Wow…” Will whispered, slowly approaching. “Does it, uh, he, eat _people_ …?”

“Only bad people.” Eddie assured, opening the bag so Venom could rummage around and eat more of the lobsters.

“he says thank you.” Eddie added. “He’s just busy stuffing his face.”

“You’re, um, welcome.” Will nodded, sitting on the other end of the bed. “So, he’s an alien parasite?”

“Not parasite!” Eddie corrected, shaking his head. “He hates that word.”

“Not parasite.” Will repeated. “Sorry, sorry. So… symbiote?”

“They can only exist in complete symbiosis with their host.” Eddie nodded. “I keep him healthy and well fed. He keeps me safe and in one piece.”

“Does he have to do with why you looked so terrible when you got back here?” Will asked, watching Venom curiously.

“Uh, sort of.” Eddie frowned, hesitant. “You remember how you thought I was sick or something? Well, I talk to him. Sometimes I forget that other people can’t see or hear him most of the time and talk out loud. Or I zone out and just talk to him in my head for a few minutes. That happens a lot while I’m working.”

“That’s insane.” Will shook his head, chuckling a bit.

“Pretty much.” Eddie agreed. “But hey, who isn’t these days?”

“So, back to before you ignored my question.” Will said, cocking his head curiously. “Why did you look like walking death when you came in here?”

“Uh, well…” Eddie hesitated. “Look, you’re not really gonna believe me on this.”

“Try me. Maybe I’m insane enough to.” Will added, offering a small smile of support.

“Maybe…” Eddie said softly, before starting to explain the last few days.

He covered going to dinner with Hannibal, skipping over the whole Hannibal being creepy possessive over Will thing. That didn’t seem important at the moment. He talked about being drugged and trapped in the cellar-basement thing…

He explained that his illness was due to Venom starving, not getting the phenethylamine he needed to stay healthy. And with Eddie not being fed or properly hydrated, he’d been using his own energy to keep Eddie sustained, which in turn lead to him beginning to digest Eddie’s organs from the inside.

Will grimaced a bit at that and Eddie assured him that it is much grosser than it sounds.

When they escaped, Venom found something to eat. More to help Eddie to recover than his own health. Though it did certainly benefit them both in the long run.

By the end, he was parched and Will had that fascinated look like a kid with a new toy.

“You survived all of that?” Will asked in disbelief.

“You believed all of that?” Eddie asked in return.

Will sighed, shaking his head. “Probably speaks to my level of insanity, but yeah… yeah I do.”

“So, what do we do about the Hannibal thing?” Eddied asked quietly.

Will was quiet for a moment before sighing. “Honestly? Nothing. There… there is nothing to do. No evidence against him. No proof you were ever locked up. Nothing. Even if you tried to tell anyone, he’d have you beat at every corner.”

“So, I guess your job now as an FBI agent… is to prove it’s him.” Eddie said softly.

“Now that I know who I’m looking for, I can work backwards. Maybe I can tie it to him.” Will sighed.

“Maybe if you’re lucky.” Eddie mumbled. “He’s smart. If he doesn’t want to be found out, I’m not sure he will.” 

“They never want to be found. That’s why it’s my job.” Will smiled a bit. It might sound arrogant, but it was true.

“You will.” Eddie assured.

Will nodded, not needing to speak more on it. Instead he changed the topic. “You feel like getting out of the city for a while? I’ve got a great little country house… long as you don’t mind a few dogs.”

“Dogs are great.” Eddie smiled, nodding.

Will couldn’t help but return that easy smile, knowing full well that even Eddie and all his weirdness would be shocked by nine dogs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this story! It was a really fun project and definitely a world I want to revisit in the future. (In less in depth stories and more amusing plots)
> 
> I am LibraryofDarkandDeadly on Tumblr, feel free to shoot me story ideas over there if there is anything else you'd like to see from me!
> 
> Also, leave me a comment here if you liked the story or if you've got any creative criticism.


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